What lens should I get?

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xvickyx

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Vicky
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Hi

Looking to buy my first lens for my D40, don't have much of a budget about £150 so here are the lenses I have found that might do the trick, which one would you recommend?

Thanks

SIGMA 70-300mm 70-300 F/4.0-5.6 APO DG
TAMRON AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD
TAMRON 18-200MM
Sigma 55-200 mm - DC HSM

:clap:
 
Can't vouch for the others, but I have the Sigma 70-300 APO for Canon and really like it. Here is one of my favourite shots taken with it (at RIAT 2007).

Out of interest, what lenses do you currently have?
 
I have also been told that

Nikon 50mm F/1.8 A/F D Lens

Would be a good lens aswell?
 
Chris_D said:
Can't vouch for the others, but I have the Sigma 70-300 APO for Canon and really like it. Here is one of my favourite shots taken with it (at RIAT 2007).

Out of interest, what lenses do you currently have?
Click to expand...

WOW thats and awesome shot! :)
 
xvickyx said:
Hi

Looking to buy my first lens for my D40, don't have much of a budget about £150 so here are the lenses I have found that might do the trick, which one would you recommend?

Thanks

SIGMA 70-300mm 70-300 F/4.0-5.6 APO DG
TAMRON AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD
TAMRON 18-200MM
Sigma 55-200 mm - DC HSM

:clap:
Click to expand...

You can get the Nikon 55-200 for about £150 new. Unless you really need 300mm I'd go for that.
 
What I want the lens for is to take good photos of landscapes or close up macros. Would the Nikkon lens cover that?

As going away to Scotland and was some wicked shots! (well try lol) :)
 
xvickyx said:
What I want the lens for is to take good photos of landscapes or close up macros. Would the Nikkon lens cover that?

As going away to Scotland and was some wicked shots! (well try lol) :)
Click to expand...

Not sure that the 55-200 'does' macro - it's not something I do and it came with the camera so I've never checked!

If you want something for everything the 18-200 Tamron may be the most useful.

Incidentally be careful about which Sigma 70-300 you get (should you go that way) - there's one that AFs with a D40 and one that doesn't and Jessops (for example) couldn't tell which was which as the stock no was the same - which meant they couldn't order me one.
 
I think I have decided to go for the Sigma 70-300m APO :clap::clap:
 
hmmm you may find at 300mm without any VR abit tricky if you are hand holding.

Personally i would look for a 2nd hand Nikon 55-200mm VR as it's an excellent sharp lens and can be had for around £150 on ebay.
 
If you want landscapes, then 55-200 is fine, or something that goes up to 300mm although u may need a tripod.

If you want Macros, Tamron 90mm f2.8 is the one.

The 50mm is a great lens for the money, although it would be manual focus, but a great portrait lens
 
xvickyx said:
I have also been told that

Nikon 50mm F/1.8 A/F D Lens

Would be a good lens aswell?
Click to expand...

yea the 50 1.8's nice, but as you've got a D40 like me, you'll have to manual focus is, unless you want to cough up an extra £250 or so for the AF-S 50 1.4
 
It all depends on what you want to do with the lens.

The only zoom lens which will suit both landscapes and macro is the Nikon 70-180, which isn't cheap and you'll have to manual focus.

I'd get the Nikon 55-200, and then save up for some macro extension tubes to get you started with macro.
 
Which lens do you have at the moment, and what kind of subjects are you likely to shoot most? A lot of people go for a long lens for their first purchase, only to find out that its not really what they needed...
 
Depends what sort of landscapes. A 70-300 isn't a terribly wide angle lens, but could be used for some landscape photography. Its not a true macro lens either, only going up to 1:2 rather than 1:1 or greater.
 
andrewc said:
Depends what sort of landscapes. A 70-300 isn't a terribly wide angle lens, but could be used for some landscape photography. Its not a true macro lens either, only going up to 1:2 rather than 1:1 or greater.
Click to expand...

It's not a macro lens at all, as it's not designed for macro photography, it's added as an afterthought. It's marketing speak is all.
 
Blapto said:
It's not a macro lens at all, as it's not designed for macro photography, it's added as an afterthought. It's marketing speak is all.
Click to expand...

For a lot of photographers who just dabble its sufficiently macro to do. It can get a reasonable frame filling shot of a butterfly for example.
 
If you want to take landscapes the kit lens is ideal, 18-55mm is a perfect focal range. if you want to take some wildlife you'll need a longer lens. I've got the Sigma 70-300mm and for the price its top stuff, but as has been said you might want to invest in a tripod as well for the longer end shots.

Andy
 
Also how's your manual focusing because I think you'l find that the sogma 70-300 doesn't have a focus motor so it will be manual on a D40
 
Gremlin said:
Also how's your manual focusing because I think you'l find that the sogma 70-300 doesn't have a focus motor so it will be manual on a D40
Click to expand...

Correct :thumbs:

Andy
 
Gremlin said:
Also how's your manual focusing because I think you'l find that the sogma 70-300 doesn't have a focus motor so it will be manual on a D40
Click to expand...

Wrong - there's one that does and one that doesn't. See my post above!

See here - £50 price difference!

EDIT - although confusingly the link now says they both focus on it. Well they bloody didn't when I was shopping last year!
 
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